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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the entire footballing world to a standstill, and while the wellbeing of the players, staff, and everyone involved with the club is the priority, clubs are set to lose a lot of money. The financial implications this unexpected pandemic is set to cause is going to impact clubs hard, and it might take a lot of time for them to recover.
From losing TV money to ticketing revenue on matchdays, this pandemic is set to impact the footballing world in a way that was never really expected. Reports say that some clubs may face going out of business while club staff are at risk of losing their livelihoods.
Despite all this, clubs are still working in the background to sort their finances and other businesses. But the most important thing they will be working on is getting ready for the next season, and that means transfers of players.
With all the financial problems clubs are set to face, signing players will not be easy. A lot of clubs will first have to sell a few players, and maybe a top player as well, to make a significant signing this summer. One of those clubs in question is Arsenal.
Arsenal's spending, in particular, among the top six Premier League clubs, is set to be severely impacted because of the ongoing global pandemic. Without selling players, the London club may not be able to bring in top reinforcements for the next season. On that note, here is a look at five players the Gunners could sell in the upcoming transfer window, for a potential cumulative earning of about £100 million.
#1. Mohamed Elneny
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Mohamed Elneny being on this list, comes as no surprise at all. The Egyptian struggled to make an impact during his four years at Arsenal. The midfielder was loaned out to Besiktas at the start of this season, and while he been a prominent figure for the Turkish club this season, it's unlikely he will ever be a regular at Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta is looking to rebuild Arsenal to enable the club once again to challenge for the major titles. Elneny does not seem to be the kind of player who will be able to help the Gunners in this respect. With the likes of Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi, and Joe Willock ahead of Elneny in the pecking order, selling the Egyptian makes sense.
Besiktas do have an option to buy Elneny this summer. With a valuation of around € 5 million, Arsenal should let the Egyptian leave.
#2. Henrikh Mkhitaryan
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A lot was expected from Henrikh Mkhitaryan when he joined Arsenal. The Armenian did deliver from time to time but was very inconsistent. After a year and a half at Arsenal, Mkhitaryan was loaned out to AS Roma. If reports now are to be believed, the Gunners are willing to sell him this summer.
Arsenal are reportedly demanding at least £22 million for Mkhitaryan. Roma are interested in signing the Armenian permanently but are unwilling to pay as much. In all likelihood, Arsenal would likely end up lowering the midfielder's asking price given the current market situation.
Even if the Gunners were to lower Mkhitaryan's asking price, they could get at least £15 to £18 million for him. That would go a long way in helping them with their transfer budget for the upcoming season.
#3. Sokratis Papastathopoulos
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Sokratis Papastathopoulos served his purpose at Arsenal during his two years at the club. For the £18 million the Gunners invested in the Greek defender, it's fair to say the English club got their money's worth. The former Borussia Dortmund defender might not have been the best passer of the ball, but he was strong, smart, and very reliable at a time when Arsenal needed these attributes the most.
With the defender set to turn 32, with just one year left on his contract, and with William Saliba set to come in next, Arsenal will be eager to recoup some of the £18 million they spent on the Greek player.
Papastathopoulos' game time has considerably reduced after Arteta took charge. With Arsenal reportedly set to trigger a one-year contract extension for David Luiz, it looks very likely the Greek defender will be sold off. Anything close to £10 million will be considered a decent return in this respect.
#4. Shkodran Mustafi
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Arsenal spent a whooping £35 million to sign Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia. The German was expected to solidify Arsenal's defence, but as is well known now, he did nothing of that sort. Mustafi, to put it bluntly, was one of the worst defenders Arsenal signed, and his mistakes have cost Arsenal on numerous occasions.
The 18/19 season, which was his third in an Arsenal shirt, was the worst he ever played for the club. Despite Mustafi committing mistake after mistake, for some reason, Unai Emery kept on playing the German defender. Arsenal did try selling him at the start of this season, but there were no suitors. With one year left on his contract, it could be an excellent time to sell him.
With Arsenal on the lookout for a new defender, and with the likes of Calum Chambers and Rob Holding likely to move ahead of him in the pecking order, Mustafi could lose his first-team spot entirely. The defender did revive his career under Arteta, and put in some decent performances in the last few months. But if Arsenal wants to get back to the top, Mustafi, in all probability, is not the way to go.
Arsenal will not be able to recoup the £35 million they spent on the defender. But anything between £10 to £15 million should do. Following his mini-revival under Arteta, finding a suitable buyer may not be a problem.
#5. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
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Selling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is something that is going to hurt every Arsenal fan. It is because the Gabon international has been nothing short of sensational since arriving from Borussia Dortmund. Aubameyang has helped Arsenal on numerous occasions. If it weren't for his goals this season, the Gunners would probably have been lurking close to the relegation zone.
However, with the financial trouble Arsenal will be in this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, selling Aubameyang will go a long way in helping Arsenal sign some top players this summer. Moreover, the striker has just one year left on his current deal. With no tangible signs yet of him signing an extension, selling him could be a viable option.
Despite the current economic situation, Arsenal will probably demand nothing short of £50 million for Aubameyang. With clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and PSG reportedly interested in the service of the Gabonese striker, the transfer fee is unlikely to be a teething issue.
